It was fitting that both legendary actress Catherine Deneuve and designer Jean Charles de Castelbajac sat front row at the Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2010 Haute Couture show, as the two personalities perfectly mirror the always quirky-meets-classic feel to the Frenchman’s collections.

Unlike what I was expecting – especially given the designer’s past fiesta-themed couture and ready-to-wear collections – Gaultier’s couture collection was relatively dark in color, and austere in silhouette.

The collection wasn’t lacking Gaultier’s signature dramatic touches, however. There were avant-garde takes on a traditional turban, and models walking out with long, slim cigarette holders and violins.

There was a Parisian chic meets Auntie Mame flare to the collection that only someone with a personality like Gaultier could pull off.

When asked about what inspired his collection this season, Gaultier remarked that he wanted to get back to the "bare bones" of couture, and that he wanted his collection to be more Parisian. The designer also found himself inspired by ray fish, which was particularly clear when looking at the headgear the models wore, and the recurring sculpted, superhero-like silhouettes that repeatedly made their way down the runway.

Perhaps in a nod to his upcoming collaboration with La Perla, Gaultier referenced his iconic cone bra with a top that had two prominent circles covering the breast area. The fact that the designer can still make an avant-garde statement using literal references to his past collections just goes to show how truly unique he is.